Management status of marine mammal stocks in NAMMCO

Updated 07/2023

For laws and regulations look here.

Faroes

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: 

  • Long-finned pilot whale
  • White-sided dolphin
  • White-beaked dolphin
  • Bottlenose dolphin
  • Harbour porpoise

Protected: All other cetacean species and, also around fish farms

Seals

Hunting allowed: None

Protected: Grey seals (the only resident species is de facto protected by a combination of regulations), now also around fish farm January 2021.

Greenland

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: 

  • From West Greeenland:
    • Bowhead whale (quota)
    • Fin whale (quota)
    • Humpback whale (quota)
  • From both West and East Greenland:
    • Minke whale (quota)
    • Narwhal (quota)
    • Beluga (quota)
    • Bottlenose whale
    • Killer whale
    • Pilot whale
    • White-sided dolphin
    • White-beaked dolphin
    • Harbour porpoise

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

  • Both from West and East Greenland
    • Walrus (quota)
    • Hooded seal (but with a very small quota from East Greenland)
    • Harp seal
    • Ringed seal
    • Bearded seal

Protected: Grey seal, Harbour seal

For others seal species:

  • lactating females and pup pairs
  • pups with lanugo hair (‘white-coats’) – i.e., in practice for harp, ringed, and bearded seals that are species with laguno hair

Iceland

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed:

  • Fin whale (quota) 
  • Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting: banned in 2019

Protected: All species, including

  • Grey seal & Harbour seal, the two resident species
  • However, permission can be requested for personal use those two species

Norway excl. Svalbard

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other cetaceans species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

Pack ice hunt

  • Harp seal (quota)
  • Hooded seal (quota – since 2007 quota=0)

Coastal seals

  • Grey seal (quota)
  • Harbour seal (quota)

Permission can be granted during special time periods:

  • Ringed seal
  • Harp seal

Protected: Other seal species. All seals around fish farms

Svalbard

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

Only permitted outside breeding season in the following periods:

  • Bearded seal: 01/02-27/04 + 05/06-30/11
  • Ringed seal 01/02-20/03 + 20/05 – 30/11

Protected: Walrus

All seals other than bearded and ringed seals are fully protected. During breeding season bearded and ringed seals are also protected.

 

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